Egyptian Police Foil Pirates of Suez

Official sources said that the Egyptian port police on Saturday foiled an attempt by four would-be buccaneers to steal goods from a Saudi cargo ship a

Official sources said that the Egyptian port police on Saturday foiled an attempt by four would-be buccaneers to steal goods from a Saudi cargo ship at the entrance to the Suez Canal.

The sources were quoted by AFP as saying that the “four men were armed with knives and were spotted in a small boat approaching the vessel moored in the port of Suez 150 kilometers (80 miles) east of Cairo, and were arrested by port police.”

The incident came one day after the Suez Canal was reopened to shipping after a closure of several hours to free three grounded freighters.

Sources at the port said “traffic was being allowed through in both directions, but with ships using the western exit of the canal after the incident instead of an eastern passage into the Mediterranean.”

The 27,000 ton Panamanian-flagged Mirellia, travelling in a convoy of around 20 ships heading from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, ran aground near Port Said, blocking the eastern exit late Thursday, the officials told the agency – Albawaba.com